Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I am happy to share that the 800-page Care Coordination Program Evaluation report and Executive Summary is now available for review and can be found on OPWDD’s website, along with a plain language version, which will be translated into multiple languages.  OPWDD chose the American Institute for Research Inc. (AIR) in April 2023 to evaluate the effectiveness of care management services delivered through OPWDD’s seven Care Coordination Organizations (CCOs).  This review and AIR’s recommendations will help OPWDD and the CCOs understand how we can improve the quality and effectiveness of care coordination and the outcomes for people who receive care management services.

The review continues and builds upon the partnership between OPWDD and the CCOs to improve quality and effectiveness through a variety of collaborative activities already underway.  The evaluation examined several important aspects of the CCO program such as its impact on overall health and wellness of people being served, how well the program is meeting the needs of people from diverse and/or complex backgrounds, how the program interacts with service systems beyond the developmental disabilities system and the effectiveness of its health information technology.  It identifies systemic challenges that are impacting the program’s effectiveness and makes recommendations for improvements.

The in-depth review includes input from self-advocates, parents and caregivers, developmental disability providers and non-developmental disability providers, as well as from the CCOs and Care Managers themselves.  In the final report, AIR identifies 67 recommendations for consideration by both CCOs and OPWDD.  In fact, some of the recommendations provided by AIR are already underway between OPWDD and the CCOs.  As we review these recommendations, OPWDD continues to work with our CCO partners to deliver the most person-centered support to drive improved health and quality of life outcomes for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities.  You can read the report and its recommendations here Care Management | Office for People With Developmental Disabilities.  Thank you to everyone who shared your experience as part of this review process.

Sincerely,

Willow Baer
Acting Commissioner

Care Coordination Program Evaluation Report Now Available | Office for People With Developmental Disabilities